Even in a new content era, classic “Peanuts” specials remain the go-to family TV during the holiday season — Charles Schulz’s witty dialogues have stayed timeless, while the emotional scoring of Vince Guaraldi has become a staple addition to any holiday playlist.

In addition to the better-known Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas specials that aired on ABC for over half a decade, and will now stream on Apple TV Plus, other fan-favorite episodes center on holidays including Arbor Day, Easter and New Year’s Day. As we gear up for the year’s end, here’s Variety’s ranking of holiday-themed “Peanuts” specials that will keep you entertained all year.

  • It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974)

    This Easter-themed episode is a poorly executed version of the “Great Pumpkin” and “Best Birthday” specials, except this time around, Linus is searching for the Easter Beagle. On top of its cliché story, Charlie Brown and friends’ “deep conversation” on anti-commercialism and their attempt to make meaning of Easter are rather unconvincing. Watching Sally lose patience over Linus is priceless per usual, but those moments can be found in other episodes.

  • It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown (1976)

    To be blunt, this special barely made it to the list, because it mentions Arbor Day in its title. This non-holiday-themed story is really about Charlie Brown’s baseball team trying to win a game, after Lucy and Sally plant trees around the baseball diamond.

    Still, one bit that makes the episode worth watching is Peppermint Patty and Charlie Brown’s talk about love. In a classic scene of the two sitting under a tree, Peppermint Patty asks, “Explain love to me, Chuck.” She interrupts him shortly, but the duo’s awkward chemistry is always delightful to watch.

  • Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales (2002)

    You really can’t go wrong with any of the Christmas episodes, but to borrow Lucy’s words, this one “just isn’t very Christmasy” when compared to its predecessors. This special still features some silly moments: Charlie Brown is on a mission to raise money for the Salvation Army, but his street performance of “Oh Susanna” on the accordion is quickly shunted aside by Lucy. And of course, Lucy courting Schroeder during the holiday season is a gag that never gets old.

  • It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown (1997)

    To put it short, this “birthday” episode is yet another Linus love story — except this time, it’s about a girl. Here, Linus crushes on a new girl named Mimi and invites her to his birthday party, while his overprotective sister Lucy is adamant that she won’t be showing up. This may feel like a repeat story (and to be fair, this is a classic Linus bit), but its sweet ending featuring the “Peanuts” gang in action makes up for everything else that’s just all right.

  • Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986)

    Here’s a silly TV movie to entertain your family on New Years Eve, especially for those tired of holiday rom-coms. This special drags out one gag — Charlie Brown tries to finish a book report on “War and Peace” before New Year’s Eve — that grows funnier over the course of the hour. Scrambling for a quick fix, Chuck even tries a video game adaptation of Tolstoy’s novel but eventually receives a D-minus for his assignment. This relatable procrastination story ends with his class receiving another assignment on reading “Crime and Punishment” that overwhelms poor Charlie Brown.

  • It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992)

    In this latter Christmas special, the “Peanuts” gang is back at it, trying to make meaning of the holidays. Snoopy dresses up as a Salvation Army Santa Claus, shooing away Lucy and Linus with a toy bicycle horn, while Sally sends a letter to Mrs. Claus, Mary Christmas that reads, “Congratulations on deciding to keep your own name.” This one may not be as charming as the original “Charlie Brown Christmas,” but it is another feel-good episode that also brings back the “Linus and Lucy” soundtrack.

  • A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002)

    This 2002 special — the first new “Peanuts” installment to air since Schulz’s death in 2000 — revisits Charlie Brown’s (not so) complicated relationship with the Little Red Haired Girl from the original Valentine’s Day episode. Things get quickly tangled when Charlie Brown receives an anonymous card from Peppermint Patty, who confronts the confused boy, saying “That letter was from me. You like me, Chuck!” Poor Charlie Brown, yet again, doesn’t receive a single valentine from his crush, nor his friends, until Snoopy brings him a surprise card in the end.

  • A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

    In all honesty, this fan-favorite episode is rather chaotic and a little stressful to watch on Thanksgiving. What comes off as the perfect family television for the holiday also features Peppermint Patty at her most annoying — shaming Charlie Brown into inviting friends over for dinner and then yelling at him for serving popcorn, butter toast and jelly beans.

    But the colorful sequence of Snoopy serving dinner is simply joyous, and Guaraldi’s ode to the Thanksgiving turkey, “Little Birdie,” hits all the marks for the annual occasion.

  • Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (1975)

    This Valentine’s treat is one of the more well-rounded episodes that follows multiple members of the “Peanuts” gang: Linus attempts to give a valentine to his teacher, while Sally pines for him, and Charlie Brown hopes to receive a valentine from somebody, anybody.

    The highlight of this special is the chaotic candy hearts reveal, during which Charlie Brown picks a candy heart that simply reads, “Forget it, Kid,” while Sally reads the entirety of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s “Sonnet 43.” And the ending scene of Chuck opening his mailbox to find one reused valentine from his true love, the Little Red-Haired Girl, is simply heartbreaking.

  • It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

    So much for the Easter- and birthday-themed specials, this episode follows yet another one of Linus’ delusional dreams — finding the Halloween God, the Great Pumpkin. Its non-spooky storyline aside, which makes perfect Halloween television for families, the story showcases some of the silliest of Schulz’s words, including Chuck’s blunt comments on Linus’ mission: “We’re obviously separated by nondenominational differences.” This fan-favorite episode was also the first to feature Charlie Brown’s retort to Lucy on the football field, a scene that has become a classic gag across the “Peanuts” franchise.

  • A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

    After 55 years since its initial broadcast, the original “Peanuts” special still strikes a chord for longtime fans and new audiences alike. The episode opens with Charlie Brown’s casual comments on loneliness during the holiday season — “There must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy. I’m not feeling the way I’m supposed to feel.” — that remain far too relatable, especially this time around.

    It also features the “Peanuts” holiday soundtrack from the inimitable Guaraldi, and unpacks Charlie Brown’s feelings through adult-like yet vulnerable dialogue that displays the finest of Schultz’s craft. And Chuck’s thwarted journey to find a Christmas tree is the cherry on top that makes this episode one of the most heartwarming holiday television that has aired to date.

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